Break Out of Your Home and Into the Vineyards (NJWineWithMe Post)

Special article contribution by Ashley Rowe, Blogger of www.njwinewithme.com

After getting pummeled with snow, this winter can't be over soon enough. Even once Spring begins, the threat of snow still lurks. Despite when the Spring climate actually arrives, the 40+ wineries throughout NJ are ready to greet the season. Winery events throughout the state awaken with the dawn of Spring, reminding us that the vines will be budding and flowers blooming. The end of March is filled with unique wine events and a festival to kick off the season.

4JG's Vineyard, Colts Neck (their site) presents the first event to welcome the Spring equinox with Spring Ladies Night on March 20th from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. 4JG's is only accessible for special events and on this particular night they're opening the doors for women to come together and celebrate Spring. This is a great chance for visitors to stock up on their popular, slushy, frappe vino that you mix with their Monmouth Blush wine for a delicious treat.

If arctic conditions make a late appearance in March, preventing you from venturing out, Old York Cellars is hosting a Virtual Vines Wine Tasting experience that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home. Purchase your tasting kit in advance and all you have to do is log in to a live stream from the Old York Cellars Winery (thier site). The next Virutal Vines event takes place on March 27th at 7:00 and it will be highlighting their Pinot Gris and Cabernet.

Expand your wine knowledge with Alba Vineyards and Cream Ridge Winery. Beginning March 29th, Alba Vineyard & Winery (their site) will host Wine 101 "From Vine to Glass". You will have the opportunity to learn directly from Alba's award winning winemaker, John Altmaier. On March 20th and 29th, Cream Ridge Winery (their site) will challenge your knowledge of wines with their Wines of the World Blind Tasting Night, in which you will sample wines from across the globe and guess where they're from. If you're not versed in global wines, don't let that discourage you from a fun event. You will learn how wines vary throughout the world. You may be surprised by what you discover. These events are good opportunities to enhance your understanding of wine to improve your wine tasting experiences throughout the rest of 2014.

If you're looking for something a little different, the first wine festival kicks off on March 29th. Renault Winery Resort & Golf (their site, event info) presents the Wine & Swine Festival, featuring 12 wineries with new wines, the latest vintages, and tasty treats by Renault's own chef. There are much more wine events going on in 2014. Check back here for updates on what is happening for the Spring and Summer months.